Crapemyrtle plant named ‘DJ 06-14’

ABSTRACT

A new crapemyrtle plant has deep, uniform purple foliage and stems; a deep raspberry pink/red flower color; an intermediate upright growth habit; and powdery mildew and  Cercospera  resistance.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: ‘DJ 06-14’ is a Crapemyrtle plant that is a Lagerstroemia hybrid.

Variety denomination: The new crapemyrtle plant claimed is a variety denominated ‘DJ 06-14’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the discovery of a new and distinct cultivar of the ornamental flowering shrub Lagerstroemia indica x Lagerstroemia fauriei, commonly known as crapemyrtle, and hereafter referred to by the varietal denomination ‘DJ 06-14’, as herein described and illustrated.

The new crapemyrtle originated from open pollinated seed of a patented plant, ‘Chocolate Mocha’ Crapemyrtle (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,540). ‘DJ 06-14’ was selected from plants grown at a horticultural farm in Watkinsville, Ga. The seedlings were planted in containers and selections were made for plants based on the following criteria:

-   -   1.) Intermediate, upright growth habit     -   2.) Powdery mildew resistance     -   3.) Flower color and quality     -   4.) Deep purple foliage and stem color         ‘DJ 06-14’ was selected in September 2014.

Asexual reproduction by traditional vegetative cuttings since 2014 at the Horticulture Farm in Watkinsville, Ga. has shown that the distinguishing characteristics of the new crapemyrtle variety, ‘DJ 06-14’ are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘DJ 06-14’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with changes in light, temperature, soil and rainfall amount, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. Asexual propagation by cuttings has proven that these characteristics are firmly fixed in succeeding asexually propagated generations. In combination, these characteristics distinguish ‘DJ 06-14’ from all other varieties known to the inventor:

-   -   1.) Deep, uniform, purple foliage and stems;     -   2.) Deep raspberry pink/red flower color;     -   3.) Intermediate, upright growth habit; and     -   4.) Powdery mildew and Cercospera resistance.

‘DJ 06-14’ is distinguished from its parent plant Lagerstroemia indica x Lagerstroemia fauriei ‘Chocolate Mocha’ by its improved, more consistent, deeper purple foliage and its larger, raspberry pink/red flower color. ‘DJ 06-14’, after 3 years of evaluation, has proven to be more resistant to powdery mildew and Cercospera than ‘Chocolate Mocha’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographic illustrations show the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new ‘DJ 06-14’ cultivar. The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized.

FIG. 1 is a close up view of the flowers of the ‘DJ 06-14’ variety.

FIG. 2 is a view of a flowering ‘DJ 06-14’ plant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticulture Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the description were approximately 2.5 years old and grown in 11.4 liter containers in full sun at the horticultural farm in Watkinsville, Ga.

-   Botanical/plant description: ‘DJ 06-14’ is a cultivar of     Lagerstroemia indica x Lagerstroemia fauriei ‘Chocolate Mocha’. The     current variety is a progeny from seed collected from ‘Chocolate     Mocha’ in November of 2013. Male, or pollen parent is unknown     (open-pollinated).     -   -   General description.—Flowering shrub; compact, upright,             intermediate growth habit. Freely branching; lateral             branches abundant without pruning (although some winter             pruning of dead wood is recommended). Ultimately, proper             pruning will result in a fine-textured, dense habit.         -   Plant size.—The original plant has been in the ground for             3.5 years, is 152 cm high from the soil level to the top of             the uppermost inflorescences and about 91 cm wide.         -   Blooming period.—June-September in Watkinsville, Ga. Rebloom             after 6-8 weeks when spent flower are removed.         -   Plant type.—Deciduous flowering shrub.         -   Plant habit.—Compact, branching, upright in outline, finely             textured, freely branched without pruning. Height and             spread, about 2.4 meters in height and 1 meter in width.         -   Cold hardiness.—USDA zones 6-8.         -   Disease.—Resistant to powdery mildew (caused by erysiphe             Lagerstroemiae) and cercospera leaf spot (cercospera             lythracearum) have been observed.         -   Root description.—Numerous fibrous and well branched, color             155D; young roots are fibrous and old roots are woody.         -   Root development.—Average 6 weeks at 25 degrees C. for root             initiation and average 3 months at 30 degrees C. to produce             a young rooted plant.         -   Propagation.—Vegetatively propagated from cuttings, softwood             stem cuttings root readily at 20-25 degrees C. Growth rate             is moderate. -   Branch description:     -   -   Branch shape.—Tetragonal on first year growth, round on             second year growth.         -   Branch color.—First year N79B; Second year 199D; trunk is             199E.         -   Branch size.—Main branch: first year 30 cm in length and 5             mm in diameter; Second year 60 cm in length and 8 mm in             diameter, lateral branches are 60-70 cm in length and 1.5 cm             in diameter, Trunk; multi branched and 2.5 cm in diameter at             the soil level.         -   Branch surface.—Lateral branches sparsely covered with             irregular lenticals 177B in color, trunk fine, smooth             barked.         -   Branch strength.—Young; flexible but strong, mature; easily             snapped.         -   Branching.—Freely branching habit without pruning, average             of 8 lateral branches.         -   Branching aspect.—Held at angles between 30 to 60 degrees,             internode length average at 2 cm.         -   Vegetative buds.—Alternate sub-opposite in arrangement,             average of 4 mm in length and 3 mm in width, conical in             shape 5-scaled imbricate and lack pubescence, color N79B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Obvate to elliptical, leaf division is single             (simple).         -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute to abruptly acuminate.         -   Leaf veination.—Pinnate, upper surface color N186A, lower             surface color N187D.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Sub-opposite to alternate.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface glossy; lower surface dull,             slightly pubescent.         -   Leaf size.—Average 5 cm in length and 2.5 in width.         -   Leaf quantity.—Average 76 per lateral branch.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface N186A, young lower surface             N187B; mature upper surface N186A, mature lower surface             N187B.         -   Petiole.—Average 1 mm in length and 1 mm in diameter,             surface texture smooth; color N186B, moderate strong. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal panicle.         -   Thyrses.—Number — 18; shape — broad pyramidal.         -   Persistence of inflorescence.—Inflorescence are showy for an             average of 4 weeks, individual flowers persist for an             average of 2 days, self cleaning.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 20 cm in height 15 cm in             width.         -   Inflorescence number.—Terminally borne, 1 per lateral             branch.         -   Flower number.—Average of 100-200 flowers and flower buds             per inflorescence.         -   Flower fragrance.—Light sweet scent.         -   Flower buds.—Globose in shape, an average of 7 mm in length             and depth, rounded apex, surface is lustrous with 6 distinct             suture lines, color 183B.         -   Flower aspect.—Upright to outward.         -   Flower type.—Actinomorphic.         -   Flower size.—Average of 2 cm in height and 4 cm in diameter.         -   Petals.—Typically 6, rotate/whorled in arrangement, fan             shaped, rounded, ruffled margins, sagittate base, ruffled             and rounded apex. Both surfaces glabrous. Typical petals             have a length of about 0.5 mm and a width of about 10 mm and             have a fine texture. Color when opening, and when fully             opened upper and lower surfaces; 63A.         -   Sepals.—Six sepals fused at the base; typical length 7 mm,             typical width 10 mm; glabrous on both surfaces; acuminate,             entire, fine texture, sagittate base; ruffled and rounded             apex.         -   Calyx.—Consists of 6 sepals fused at base, acute apices an             average of 1 cm in length and 1 cm in diameter color on both             surfaces 183D, smooth and glabrous on both surfaces.         -   Peduncle.—Strong, average 7 cm in length and 3 mm in             diameter. Color N186C. surface is covered with fine,             appressed pubescence and is strong.         -   Pedicels.—Strong, average of 8 mm in length and 1 mm in             diameter, color N186C. surface is covered with fine             appressed pubescence. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens.—25-30 stamens clustered in the center. 6 mm in             length surrounded by 6 longer stamens, 1 cm in length,             glabrous, surface, anthers; 12A color.         -   Pistils.—Single(1) Average of 2 cm in length and width,             style; 1.5 cm in length and 59D in color, stigma; rounded             less than 1 mm in diameter 59D in color, ovary; superior,             157C in color. 3 mm in diameter. -   Fruit and seed:     -   -   Fruit.—Capsule; 6 valved dehiscent; oval rounded in shape;             typical diameter about 9 mm; typical length about 1.1 mm.             Immature 141C in color, mature N199C in color; fruit             depression at apex — absent; fruit depression at base —             absent.         -   Seeds.—Each capsule contains 25 seeds on average, 6mm in             length and 3 mm in width and N199B in color. 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of the Crapemyrtle plant named ‘DJ 06-14’, as herein illustrated and described. 